You need to join a team and get in a meet already. You can't learn anything about competing on the freaking internet. There are Jersey teams, you're welcome to out to Lost Battalion in Queens. There's a meet in Jersey first weekend in May. Just do it already and quit worrying about your clothes or where you rank because until you do it once you rank below anyone who's ever done it.

Don't worry about whether or not your numbers are competitive or not just find a club and someone who'll coach you in your first comp and get going. No one in the sport cares what you lift first time out, all they care is that you are interested enough to have a go.

For weightlifting the rules say that you need a once piece suit that leaves your knees and elbows exposed but at smaller club comps first time lifters will often get away with wearing shorts and a T shirt that fit the same criteria

Do the comp. In my first OL meet I believe there were two other guys in my weight class both trying to qualify for Nationals, so even "competing to win" was well beyond me. It was an awesome experience anyway.

Sack up and sign up. It's what separates those who train from those who just work out.

OLY meets are the best environments in sports for first time competitors. In my first meet, the other lifters were extremely helpful to me. They advised me about starting weights, jumps, time between lifts, warmups, etc.

In my first judo comp, the other guys just kicked my ass.

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"It should be more like birthday party than physics class." | Log | 70's Big

I am taking a group of young kids to Amarillo tomorrow to a competition. Mostly beginners. On the low side, a few of them can barely do the lifts legally. On the high side, fairly proficient in technique, but not strong.

I could care less how they "place" or "rank". There are things you can ONLY learn by competing.

I would encourage everyone to compete as early as possible, compete as often as possible, etc. I would have a meet here every Saturday if I had the facilities for it.

Most people put way too much importance on how well they will do, really overestimate the importance of how they do in their first meet. Better to just go and have fun. Put up some numbers and have fun doing it.

Competitions are fun, especially if you are a beginner and have the right mindset. If your on Team USA and at the Pan Americans representing your country, in some hot and humid arena in the middle of Guatemala, have an unfriendly audience, have been "escorted" by guys with M-16's to guard you from the gangs and kidnappers for 5 days, and are going out for your third lift which will vault you into gold over some socialist Venezuelan bastard, then its a different experience, rewarding in its own way, but not what id call "fun". But if your a beginner, dont ramp the stress level up to the above scenario for no reason. Just go out, lift weights, put some numbers up, have a good time and establish a baseline to beat next time out.

You need to join a team and get in a meet already. You can't learn anything about competing on the freaking internet.

Matheiu, You sound a lot like me. You study books, read a lot of info on the forums, ask lot's of questions, and do digital coaching. But you still need a coach. I have a local coach who I at least touch base with once a month. I think he considers me part of his "team" although I do the majority of my training on my own. I've been lucky enough to hook up with Glenn Pendlay for a few training sessions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gant Grimes

Sack up and sign up. It's what separates those who train from those who just work out.

OLY meets are the best environments in sports for first time competitors. In my first meet, the other lifters were extremely helpful to me. They advised me about starting weights, jumps, time between lifts, warmups, etc.

In my first judo comp, the other guys just kicked my ass.

I agree with what Gant said. But competing in a O'Lift meet is slightly different than martial arts. I was on an MMA kick for several years and over that time period had about 5 very amateur tournament fights. You really, really have to trust your coaches when you are talking about getting in the ring against someone else. They need to get you the right matchup for your experience level and give you good ring side advice etc.

As Glenn noted above, O'lifting has some level of excitement but not the same as hand to hand combat against another man. To me there is somewhat less of a risk with O'lifting so just sign up for a competition and do it. Still helps to have a coach as noted above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennpendlay

I could care less how they "place" or "rank". There are things you can ONLY learn by competing.

I would encourage everyone to compete as early as possible, compete as often as possible, etc. I would have a meet here every Saturday if I had the facilities for it.

I'm agree with Glenn. Right now O'Lifting is my new hobby. I have no expectation to make it to the 2012 Olympics but I plan to get in any local meets I can while I am on this O'Lifting kick. My first competition is May 9.

I am not quite ready yet to give up competing and live life vicariously through my two boys. Although, I do see that day coming in the near future.

Not to sound like a broken record, but enter a local meet and compete! I only recently entered my first powerlifting competition. It was a blast! I so wished I had not waited until I was 35 before I started this awesome, life changing sport. I can't wait to find a local OL meet to sign up for. Something about a competitive environment that brings out the best in me. And having at least 3 judges critique your every lift brings a new meaning to a PR (just try squatting with a SQUAT, RACK command and bench with a START, PRESS and RACK command. Take your best lifts and subtract about 30 pounds from each). I bet only about 2% of the lifts I see in the gym would pass. I now have true numbers on which to build.

Also, there were about a 100 lifters at the meet I attended. Not 1 competitor wasn't cheering another on to his or her best lift! Amazing. How many times has a receiver or back encouraged you to hit him as hard as you can? And then high 5 you when you did? So many guys were even giving me tips on how to best setup for my lifts to maximize my really long arms and legs (great for deadlifting, but sucks for benching and squatting).

Sign up and go lift! Make it a goal to go 6 for 6 in OL or 9 for 9 in PL. Start with a weight you know you can do, do a very challenging weight and then pick a weight that is a new PR for you. Just be sure to get 1 "white light" lift in each of the lifts so that you can continue competing.